LEICESTER SPEAKS 2011: THE BIG LAUNCH!

Today we kick off the second annual celebration of Local Democracy Week or, as it's been dubbed here, "Leicester Speaks".

Today's display is quite a step-up from the one-hour event with which we launched the first Leicester Speaks a year ago. In October 2010 we had a stage in Humberstone Gate for 60 minutes onto which John Coster and I (as Co-Chairs) sought to usher unsuspecting folk to take the microphone so that they could have 60 seconds in which to speak about something important to them. Just about everyone involved thought the event successful, so it makes sense to have it bigger and longer this year.

We also had a Pre-Launch Event in Gallowtree Gate at the beginning of August, which did a lot to raise awareness of Leicester Speaks and encourage more organisations to get involved this time. 

There are a couple of dozen displays from different organisations in a street market layout, along both sides of Humberstone Gate. The photo above shows (from left to right) Harry Perry of Leicester Secular Society (our neighbours under canvass here today), that guy who's always hanging around with his big camera and whose name no one seems to know; Fari Wyman (the first Mrs Ballentyne) and our son, Alastair.

There are a number of fixed slots throughout the day when we encourage people to get up and speak, but this proves a lot harder than it was last year. On reflection, I think that when people see this much bigger, more professional staging, they expect to be entertained rather than get up on stage and do something themselves.

It was good to have Fari on hand this afternoon, as a chap from Leicester's small and rarely noticed Zoroastrian community came to the stall and they two of them were able to converse in Farsi.

The day proves exhausting, particularly trying to to marshall reluctant speakers onto the stage. By the end of it all, John Coster and I agree that, after two years of co-chairing Leicester Speaks, someone else should have that privilege next year.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: REPORT OF ACTIVITIES

At the Welcome Centre this evening, for a meeting of the Council of Faiths Board of Directors. Seven out of the eight member faith communities are represented round the table. I'm able to present a report of my activities since the last of these meetings (14 Sep), as listed below. New readers start here:

EDL/UAF demonstration & counter-demonstration

Attended VCS briefing by Leicester City Council & Leics Constabulary (Thu 23 Sep); organised LCoF contribution to Peace Vigil in Cathedral (Fri 08 Oct); wrote and circulated LCoF statement, in Chair’s name (Fri 08 Oct); acted as “single point of contact” for police and City Council on day of demo (Sat 09 Oct); organised LCoF contribution (stall & personnel) to “Celebrate One Leicester” event, Humberstone Gate (Sun 10 Oct); debriefing for members of Equality and Diversity partnership (Thu 04 Nov).

BBC Radio Leicester

Thu 07 Oct (Ben Jackson Show, recorded input, re pledge in Leicester Cathedral); Mon 11 Oct (Ben Jackson Show, live in studio, re Leicester Speaks); Fri 15 Oct (Ben Jackson Show, recorded input, re “Picnic in the Park”); Wed 01 Dec (Jonathan Lampon Show, live in studio with Dr Allan Hayes of Leicester Secular Society, re national “Not Ashamed” campaign).

Leicester Speaks - AKA Local Democracy Week

Appointed by steering group as Joint Chair (with John Coster of Citizens’ Eye Community News Agency) of this week-long event (Mon 11-Sat 16 Oct), supported by Adult Skills and Learning Service, Leicester City Council. Organised four dialogue meetings for LCoF across the week, involving each of our member faith communities (Jain/Sikh; Baha’i/Christian; Buddhist/Muslim; Hindu/Jewish) as well as planning and hosting other events across the week (particularly public launch in Humberstone Gate). Planning group met Fri 17 Sep; Fri 24 Sep;  Fri 01 Oct; Mon 04 Oct; Wed 06 Oct; Fri 08 Oct; Fri 15 Oct.

Centre for Excellence in Community Cohesion

Member of full group and working party for Leicester City Council Chief Exec’s project (met Mon 25 Oct; Tue 30 Nov).

Equality Impact Assessment on effects of Comprehensive Spending Review

Member of group working on this for Leicester City Council (met Thu 04 Nov; Mon 08 Nov; Tue 07 Dec).

Engaging with Faith Communities in Leicester

Continuing involvement with series of booklets, offering guidance for school staff. Started off with team of six doing this, now down to just two of us (met Mon 15 Nov; Mon 06 Dec; Fri 10 Dec).

Inter Faith Week

Organised and co-ordinated whole week of exhibition showcasing all eight member faith communities in Highcross, Sun 21 – Sat 27 Nov). We’re assured that there may have been as many as 500,000 footfalls over the course of the week. More than 50 people from various faith communities (some from none in particular) volunteered to help on the display, giving out material and engaging with members of the public. Highlights included front-page coverage in The Wave (young people’s supplement, 70,000 copies distributed free with Leicester Mercury, Wed 24 Nov) visit to display by Sir Peter Soulsby MP (Thu 25 Nov) and visit by City Councillor Wayne Naylor (Fri 26 Nov). And we’ve already been given tentative consent to do it again in 2011!

NHS Leicester City / Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust

Preparing ground for launch of “Faith Communities Health Champions” project, in context of Service Level Agreement (met with representatives of NHS Leicester City or Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Wed 14 Oct; Thu 21 Oct; Fri 10 Dec).

Other notable activities, events, projects in this period:

Attended Chief Constable’s Inter-Cultural Reception, Police HQ, Enderby (Tue 28 Sep).

Contributed to Leicester Uni Chaplaincy exhibit at International Student Fair (Wed 29 Sep).

Hosted visit to Leicester by Blackpool Inter Faith Forum for Youth (Sat 02, Sun 03 Oct).

Participated in “Together” inter faith family day at Beauchamp College (Sun 03 Oct).

Organised five speakers for Philosophy Panel at St Paul’s RC School (Tue 05 Oct).

Assisted “Sacred Spaces” training, Leicester Cathedral Church House (Wed 06, Thu 07 Oct).

Participated in Action for Children Family Intervention Project Diversity Day, Oak Centre, Braunstone (Fri 22 Oct).

“One Leicester: Faith for the Future” RE conference for gifted & talented children, Holy Trinity Church, Regent Rd (Fri 29 Oct).

Continued involvement in consultation re Certificate in Religious Studies with Leicester Uni Institute of Lifelong Learning (met Thu 04 Nov; Fri 12 Nov).

Launch of Council of Faiths YouTube video channel (Fri 12 Nov).

Contributed to staff inter faith training event, Connexions, Halford House, Charles St (Thu 25 Nov).

Contributed to staff training event, Leicester City Council Adult Skills and Learning Service, Adult Education College, Wellington St (Wed 08 Dec).

Kept up involvement in local networking through involvement with Amplified Leicester, Café Creatif, Community News Café, CreativeCoffee Club, Philosophy in the Pub, To Be Creative and similar opportunities.

WE ARE ONE LEICESTER FESTIVAL

The day after the demonstration by the English Defence League and counter-demonstration by Unite Against Fascism, several thousand people gather in Humberstone Gate for the We Are One Leicester Festival. This major event in the life of our city has been organised by Leicester City Council and Hope Not Hate.

Undoubted highlight of today is a free gig by Billy Bragg, who includes a rousing rendition of "We Shall Overcome". Indie rockers Reverend and the Makers perform at the end of the day. In between these two sets, various entertainers and local worthies appear on stage to reinforce our pride in the city's diversity and our commitment to its unity. Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths, Cllr Manjula Sood, takes to the stage to speak on behalf of Leicester Council of Faiths:

Good afternoon One Leicester! It’s so beautiful to stand here and see all of you.

On behalf of Leicester Council of Faiths, I would like to say a big thank you to all of you. Yesterday we showed that we stood united and today is a remarkable day: Ten! Ten! Ten! Tenth of October 2010 when the whole city has come together.

On behalf of all the Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Jains, Bahá'ís and Buddhist communities and Jews, I would like to pass on their gratitude.

EDL is defeated yesterday, with a very strong message: you are not welcome here. There’s no room for them, even to stand there among us.

Our long and proud history of Leicester – of love respect, understanding, respect, our heritage; many cultures, beliefs, neighbourhoods –  have proved nobody can come and divide us. Our community cohesion cannot be challenged.

You can see her full speech (four minutes long) on YouTube along with a variety of other videos on a playlist there, offering extensive coverage of contributions from the stage and among the crowd.

Humberstone Gate is rammed this afternoon. There are many displays and activities put on by local community groups, local authorities and service providers from the city and county. Artists and performers are out in force too including some of my personal favourites, the stilt-walkers (photo above). There's a lovely touch of autumn sunshine and a palpable sense of relief that yesterday's events are behind us and togetherness about going forward.

Leicester Council of Faiths has space in the  marquee, where we set up one of our banners and hand out loads of leaflets. You can get a good look at it in a short video posted by pappukadri on YouTube (listen for Grace's distinctive shoot-out for her brother at 0:38). We have a good spot, near the front and next to the fellow blowing up the helium balloons - but the folk on our stall spend more time tying and tethering balloons than anything else!

I also get out and about with fliers for Leicester Speaks. We're kicking off that week of activities across the city with our launch event on this same spot tomorrow morning.

BBC Radio Leicester covered the event on its website. Links to several examples of media coverage of today can be found on the web page, Uniquely Leicester.

As far as our small contribution to this big event went today, thanks to Barbara, Celia, Lucy (and Harry and Gracie) for helping.